2011 BCS Championship Game: Auburn Field Goal Hands Tigers The Win, 22-19

BCS Championship Features University Of Phoenix Stadium Turf Unworthy Of A Title Game

It was clear from the opening kickoff in Monday night’s BCS Championship that the field at University of Phoenix Stadium was going to be a problem. Josh Huff took the opening kick and slipped at the goalline. An Auburn player also slipped running down field to cover the kick, going down with a leg injury in the process. Many blamed the cleats for the slips, but it’s the field — not the shoes — that was at fault.

Throughout the game, announcers kept mentioning the turf was brand new. After the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, the decision was made to start over, resurfacing the field again. With a brand new, watered-down field for the BCS Championship, players from both teams spent the game looking like they were running on ice, not a field worth of a championship game.

The turf was bad for both teams, and wasn’t necessary some great equalizers. The Oregon Ducks value perimeter speed, typically racing to the edge before cutting upfield in the blink of an eye. Unable to do so in the BCS Championship, a pivotal aspect of their game went missing.

Would grass in prime-condition mean the outcome would’ve been different? Odds are it wouldn’t, but when the turf, and the terrible condition of it, is a big storyline in the game, that’s a problem. Both Oregon and Auburn rely on speed, but saw it neutralized in the biggest game of their seasons. Defensive were unable to keep their footing, offensive players were going down after relatively simple cuts and, perhaps, the level of play suffered because of it.

Would it have killed organizers of the BCS Championship to at least make sure the caliber of the playing surface matched the caliber of the teams?

Auburn Vs. Oregon: Michael Dyer Emerges From BCS Championship As A Star

Before the BCS Championship, the focus was on Cam Newton. Auburn's offense, it was said, was all Newton, all the time. Yet with the game on the line, and Newton hobbled, the Tigers turned to a true freshman to bring home the BCS National Championship. First-year running back Michael Dyer, not Newton, was the star of the show and, perhaps, gave us a glimpse of what's to come for the Tigers.

Dyer finished the night with 143 yards on 22 carries, an eye-popping 6.5 yards per carry average, to lead all rushers. His 37-yard run, with time running down and the game on the line, clinched the game for the Tigers and will go down in Auburn lore. After a moment of confusion, unsure if he had been tackled or not, Dyer took off down the field, putting the Tigers in position to kick the game-winning field goal.

Even after putting them in position to win, Dyer made sure the game-winning field goal was nothing more than a chip-shot. On third and four from the Oregon 16, Dyer rumbled to the one-yard line. A Cam Newton kneel followed by a 19-yard Wes Byrum field goal and the Tigers were the BCS champions.

If you're looking for a hero in the BCS Championship, it has to be Dyer. In a game that saw both high-powered offenses struggle, it was his rushing attack that allowed the Auburn Tigers to wear-down the Oregon defense, setting up that game-winning drive. With Dyer in the backfield, the Tigers have a foundation to build off, no matter if Cam Newton stays or declares for the NFL Draft.

Auburn Vs. Oregon: The Stats Tell The Story

Breaking down the 2011 BCS Championship Game by the numbers.

By land.
The tiny irresistible force versus the very large immovable objects: Oregon, boasting the nation's fourth-ranked rushing offense, showpiece of the No. 1 overall offense in both yardage and scoring, was held to 75 yards on the ground, a shadow of the Ducks' "normal" 2010 output of over 300. LaMichael James, the leading rusher with 44 yards, can't exactly be called a non-factor, not when he caught both touchdown passes for the Ducks, but with both feet on the ground he was as close as it gets. Auburn's own rushing offense, no slouch at No. 5 heading into this game, fared better by what may as well have been a light-year, with 254 net ground yards recorded, 142 of that courtesy of the young Michael Dyer, he of breaking records as a freshman that previously belonged to one Bo Jackson.

By air.
Neither of these teams have been all that keen on throwing this year, purely because they don't need to. When they do, they're good: Darron Thomas ranks 18th nationally in passing efficiency, with Cam Newton topping the list at No. 1. Faced with a sizable wall preventing the run, the Ducks found greater gains to be made on the wing, with Thomas rocketing the ball a blistering 363 yards on 40 attempts. Newton wasn't far behind, with 265 aerial yards, and while each threw two touchdowns, the oft-maligned Auburn secondary made a world of difference with two well-timed picks. Entering the national title game, Josh Bynes led the Tigers' defenders with a not-whopping three picks.

By ... sea? [crash of metaphor falling into shards]
Special teams, unfortunately for those hoping and gambling on a fireworks show, won the year for Auburn, which is only fitting. Cam Newton ranks seventh nationally in scoring, but not far behind at No. 19 is Wes Byrum, he of the sure foot and the Tigers' all-time scoring record from any position. Since attaining that mark, however, it's ben a quiet fall for the senior kicker: Auburn's touchdown-happy offense required his services only once since Halloween, and (perhaps out of practice), he missed that single shot in the SEC Championship Game. In Glendale, you might have noticed, Byrum appeared to have regained his edge.

Auburn Vs. Oregon: Nick Fairley Makes Case For 2011 NFL Draft

DT Nick Fairley and the Auburn Tigers are national champions after beating Oregon in the BCS national championship on Monday night. Fairley may have more attention coming his way with the 2011 NFL draft as he's expected to be one of the first players taken next April. 

SB Nation's Mocking The Draft is wondering if he would be a good fit in Carolina, who holds the No. 1 pick.

There is no question that Fairley is a good player. His playing style and effort could immediately give a defense an attitude. Rival teams will hate Fairley and his penchant for cheap shots. There are questions about whether or not Fairley is a one-year wonder, or if he can take up two gaps in the NFL. Or if he has the power to take on and shed blockers.    

As MTD points out, if the Panthers move to the 3-4 defense, which soon-to-be-named head coach Ron Rivera ran with the Chargers, Fairley would be a poor fit. His game is more about speed and quickness and less about power. MTD writes that Fairley should be considered a risk at the top of the draft.

Of course there's no sure thing at the top of the draft. It'll be interesting to see how the perception of Fairley changes as the NFL draft process begins.

BCS National Championship Game: Offense Abandons Oregon On Biggest Stage

With the high-speed Oregon Ducks and high-octane Auburn Tigers involved, regardless of who most folks picked to win the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, the majority concluded that it'd be a high-scoring affair. That was for good reason: Oregon had averaged 49 points through 12 games, and the Tigers had averaged 43 points. But the championship ended up with a bruising 22-19 Auburn victory, marking each team's second lowest scoring total of the season.

SB Nation Ducks blog Addicted to Quack wonders what happened to the vaunted Oregon offense.

Oregon was stopped on multiple goal line stands, and the Ducks fell after they couldn't bring down Michael Dyer late, and the Auburn Tigers used a last second field goal to beat the Ducks.

I don't even know what to say. The Oregon defense did what they needed to do, for the most part, but the Ducks couldn't score for most of the game, and they lost not because of their defense, but because of their offense.

If not for Auburn's tough goalline stands, the score would have ended up higher. Oregon's play calling on some of those plays has been called into question, and nods to the possibility the Ducks were too inexperienced in this type of brutish game to close the deal. Oregon certainly thrived in open-field, up-and-down games this season; once a team with matching athleticism lined up across the green, though, the attack buckled.

Auburn Vs. Oregon: Wes Byrum Field Goal Wins BCS National Championship (VIDEO)

Despite Cam Newton, Michael Dyer and all of Auburn’s weapons on an explosive offense that averaged 43 points per game this season, the BCS National Championship came down to kicker Wes Byrum on Monday night. With the game tied up at 19, Auburn was able to drive the field with time running out to set Byrum up for a chip shot — a 19-yard field, closer than an extra point. But in such a pressure-packed situation, there’s plenty that could go wrong. For Auburn, nothing did, as the snap, hold and kick were all perfect:

The field goal with time running out gave Auburn its first National Championship in 53 years.

For Byrum, it caps off a record-breaking career at Auburn. The senior is the all-time leading scorer at Auburn, a record he set in October with a field goal against LSU.

For more on Auburn’s win, head to SB Nation’s Track ‘Em Tigers. Or to mourn Oregon’s loss, check out Addicted to Quack.

VIDEO: Michael Dyer Wins BCS Championship Game MVP, Caps Performance With Game-Clinching Run

Auburn running back Michael Dyer finished off an outstanding freshman season the best way possible: beating Oregon to win a BCS National Championship and taking home the game’s offensive MVP award. On a night when quarterback Cam Newton didn’t carry the Tigers’ offense as he normally does, the team turned to Dyer, who rushed for 143 yards on 22 carries (6.5 yards per rush).

The biggest carry of those 22 came with time running out in the fourth quarter. Auburn and Oregon were tied at 19, when the Tigers had one last drive to get into field goal position and potentially win the championship. After a 15 yard pass play, Auburn handed off to Dyer, who did this:

As the replay confirmed, Dyer’s knee never touched the ground as he rolled over the Oregon would-be tackler. The run took Auburn down to the Oregon 23-yard line. From there, it was Dyer again, who rushed for 16 yards down to the half-yard line. Two plays later, Tigers kicker Wes Byrum nailed the chip shot to give Auburn the title.

BCS National Championship Game Final Score: Auburn 22, Oregon 19

With exactly five minutes remaining in the 2011 BCS Championship Game, Auburn and Oregon decide to make things interesting for a listless audience. On a designed Cam Newton rush up the middle, he's hit from behind and has the ball punched away by Casey Matthews. Oregon players scramble to put their bodies atop it, and it's Ducks football at midfield.

Darron Thomas comes out throwing, hitting Jeff Maehl for a ten-yard gain, then D.J. Davis for a 29-yarder and David Paulson for seven more. Third down, Auburn's 2-yard line, and it's Thomas to LaMichael James, just as it should be, for the touchdown pass, and Thomas to Maehl, who makes a splaying leap to bring down the ball for the two-point conversion. Tie game, 19-19, with 2:36 remaining.

It won't be enough. A 15-yard pass from Cam Newton to Emory Blake, a 37-yard bolt by Michael Dyer, another 16-yard Dyer scramble, and some clock-management frittering later, Wes Byrum lines up and nails a 19-yard field goal, straight and true, to hand the Auburn Tigers the win with no time remaining. Final score in Glendale: Auburn 22, Oregon 19.

Commiserate and celebrate with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

Oregon Fakes Punt' Darron Thomas Completes Huge Pass; Ducks' Scoring Drive Falls Short

The Oregon Ducks have responded to Auburn's scoreboard surge with two huge plays, late in the third quarter of the 2011 BCS Championship Game, and they're all going to go for nothing. A 14-yard rush by LaMichael James converts Oregon's first set of downs, and when met with fourth down on the next set, the Ducks line up in punt formation -- and punter Jackson Rice flips the ball to Marvin Johnson, who skitters 11 yards down the field for another conversion.

The next highlight-reel play comes right away, as Darron Thomas flings the ball 43 yards downfield, where it lands on the outstretched fingertips of Lavasier Tuinei, who clearly knows it's coming, but that doesn't make the catch any less spectacular. This puts the Ducks at Auburn's 3-yard line, and from there they'll only get as far as the 1-yard line. The Tigers take over on downs, with 2:26 remaining in the third quarter.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the game for more live score updates, and connect with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

Auburn Scores On Wes Byrum Field Goal, Leads Oregon 19-11

The second half of the 2011 BCS Championship Game has begun, and right away Auburn's out to bleed the clock. Four straight rushing passes by Cam Newton and Michael Dyer are capped with a monster, 39-yard pass by Newton to tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen on second down. The play moves the Tigers from just past midfield to just inside Oregon's red zone, and the score doesn't take long: Cam Newton throws two incomplete passes, rushes left for five yards, and the drive stalls at the Ducks' 11-yard line. Wes Byrum boots a 28-yard field goal through the uprights, and Auburn's lead extends. With 11:34 remaining in the third quarter, the Tigers lead the Ducks, 19-11. Cam Newton may be nursing some sort of upper-body injury on the sidelines; we'll keep you updated if any more news develops on that front.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the game for more live score updates, and connect with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

Cam Newton Scores; Auburn Retakes Lead, 16-11

Auburn's seen a two-point swing in their favor thanks to a safety, late in the second half of the 2011 BCS Championship Game, and they're about to be treated to an actual score of their own. Setting up at their own 34-yard line with three minutes and change remaining in the half, Cam Newton hits Onterio McCalebb over the right side of the line for an eight-yard gain. Michael Dyer gets the next two touches, and runs for four and 11 yards to move the Tigers to midfield. Newton hits Emory Blake for a nine-yard gain; Dyer runs left for four more yards, and on 1st-and-10 from the Oregon 30 it's Newton-to-Blake again, with a 30-yard touchdown connection. With 1:54 remaining in the second quarter, Auburn retakes the lead from Oregon, 16-11.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the game for more live score updates, and connect with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

Auburn 'Scores' As LaMichael James Tackled For A Safety; Oregon Lead Narrows

The 2011 BCS Championship Game is about to witness its longest possession -- by a vast margin -- in tonight's game. Unable to slow down Oregon's offense by any means they currently possess that don't involve Nick Fairley killing a guy (and we're not saying they've ruled that out, if we know Auburn), the Tigers mount a seven-minute, 70-yard drive ... that falls short at Oregon's 1-yard line when a Cam newton pass on 4th-and-1 falls short.

They'll still come away with points, however: LaMichael James is tackled on first down in his own endzone, and though he stretches the ball out to the line, the ruling is a safety and Oregon's lead is cut to two points. With 3:32 remaining in the second quarter, Oregon leads, 11-9.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the game for more live score updates, and connect with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

Oregon Scores, Adds Two-Point Conversion, Retakes Lead From Auburn

The 2011 BCS Championship Game has, to turn a common phrase, gone ham, very early on in the second quarter, and at the end of the latest burst of action, the Oregon Ducks will hold their second lead of the night, in spectacular fashion.

Oregon sets up pinned deep at their own seven-yard line, but they won't stay there for long: On first down, with 11:55 remaining in the half, Darron Thomas hauls off and launches one way, way downfield, hitting Jeff Maehl in stride for an 81-yard gain. Maehl's pushed out of bounds at the 12-yard line, and the Ducks put it on the ground, handing off to Kenjon Barner for a four-yard run. James will get it through the air for the score, catching an 8-yard touchdown pass from Thomas. It's what happens next that's the story: A two-point conversion attempt with kicker Rob Beard catching a pitch and skating into the endzone practically on his face. With 11:05 remaining in the second quarter, Oregon leads Auburn, 11-7.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the game for more live score updates, and connect with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

Cam Newton Scores BCS Championship Game's First Touchdown

The second quarter of the 2011 BCS Championship Game has only been on for three minutes, and it's already more action-packed than the entire first period.

Auburn takes over at their own 18-yard line, and young Michael Dyer gets the first touch, running left for five yards. Terrell Zachery catches an eight-yard pass from Cam Newton, and Dyer converts another set of downs with a10-yard run on the third play. It's Zachery again for 13 yards on the next snap, and the Tigers are rolling. Darvin Adams and Onterio McCalebb set up Auburn's scoring position at Oregon's 35-yard line, and on second-and-10, Newton hits erstwhile quarterback Kodi Burns over the middle for a 35-yard touchdown pass. With 12:00 remaining in the second quarter, Auburn leads, 7-3.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the game for more live score updates, and connect with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

Ducks Score First, Lead 3-0 In 2011 BCS Championship Game

Auburn and Oregon are beginning to settle down a bit on offense in the 2011 BCS Championship Game, with longer possessions winding down the first quarter of play. (Either that or their less-than-vaunted defenses are already winding down. Your call.)

The Tigers' third possession begins promisingly, with Darvin Adams catching a 12-yard pass from Cam Newton on second down, but a sack on Newton three plays later sends out the punt unit. On come the Ducks, and LaMichael James gets the first two carries, but it's Darron Thomas' arm that makes the first conversion, finding Lavasier Tuinei for a 19-yard gain. The first quarter closes on a 12-yard catch by D.J. Davis, but Thomas is hit in the backfield on the first play of the second quarter for a six-yard loss, and on comes the kicking unit. Rob Beard hooks a 26-yarder through the uprights, and an unthinkably scoreless first quarter is in the books. With 14:17 remaining in the second quarter, Oregon leads Auburn, 3-0.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the game for more live score updates, and connect with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

2011 BCS Championship Game: Cam Newton, Darron Thomas Trade Early Interceptions

You are looking live ... at the 2011 BCS Championship Game. Auburn vs. Oregon is underway in Glendale, and right away we're dealt a sharp reversal in narrative, as the defenses (or more accurately, the playing surface) appear to be effective at stymying offensive firepower on both sides.  Oregon is wearing the same model of cleats that gave TCU so many problems in the Rose Bowl, but both teams appear to have footing issues early on.

The Ducks open with a rare three-and-out, and the Tigers follow suit, thanks to a sack on Cam Newton, who fumbles and makes third-and-17 out of second-and-10. A 21-yard gain by LaMichael James gets Duck fans hollering, but two plays later Darron Thomas is intercepted near midfield. Two plays after that, Cam Newton is intercepted himself. Oregon cracks the red zone just ahead of the five-minute mark, where Zac Etheridge picks off Thomas for the Ducks' second turnover of the period. We're scoreless in the first quarter, with 5:05 remaining.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream throughout the game for more live score updates, and connect with Oregon and Auburn fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track Em Tigers.

2011 BCS Championship Game Kickoff: Last-Minute Predictions & Emotions

We're just minutes from kickoff of the 2011 BCS Championship Game, and SB Nation's Oregon Ducks and Auburn Tigers communities are abuzz with predictions, superstitions, and last-minute bursts of emotion.

Addicted To Quack ponders the hype of this game, staggering by even the lofty standards of postseason college football:

Why do you think a game such as this, pitting BCS outliers, of sorts, has become the hottest ticket in college football history?

In the past decade, the collective college football nation has become enamored with underdogs like Boise State and TCU. But, as we discover year in and year out, non-AQs simply don't have a strong enough slate to get them to the big one. This matchup, despite pitting undefeated teams from two of the nation's toughest BCS conferences, has underdog appeal. Oregon and Auburn are outsiders compared to the traditional college football powers.

Meanwhile, at Track Em Tigers, they're just sort of spinning around in circles and making themselves dizzy, and frankly, it's hard to blame them:

Many Alabamians are snowed in today, but the football team does not have that problem. The conditions should be perfect for football in Glendale, and this game will be played in a state of the art stadium. This has been the toughest ticket ever in football, with bids going well above the $5000 mark. Those lucky ones who attend the game will be part of history!

The 2011 BCS Championship Game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on ESPN.

2011 BCS Championship Game, Auburn Vs. Oregon: Odds & Predictions

The 2010-11 college football postseason has reached the city of its final destination: Glendale, Arizona. Degenerate gamblers, start your engines. Now playing: No. 1 Auburn versus No. 2 Oregon in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.

The line: Has been swinging tightly between favoring Oregon by a field goal and Auburn by the same ever since this matchup was announces. Right now, the Tigers hold sway in Vegas, by an average margin of a field goal or less.

Notable Tigers units: Start with the bad, because there's so much less of it: Auburn's pass defense ranks 106th nationally, dead last in the SEC, bad enough to drag their total defense ranking down to No. 55. The passing offense ranks 67th nationally, largely because they don't use it; same applies to the punting unit (No. 91).

Notable Ducks units: A similar overlay on the opposite side of the ball can be applied here, with pass defense trailing other units at No. 51 nationally, although the Ducks fare better with special teams. The nation's top-ranked offense is, to coin the popular interview term this week, a drawer of knives. The No. 4 rushing offense, it's safe to assume, will run into some problems facing the Tigers' stout ground defenses, making the obvious matchup of interest the arm of Darron Thomas versus the oft-beleagured secondary of the Plains.

The pick: Call us crazy, but we like Oregon here, in defiance of the line, based on that last matchup delineated above.

The 2011 BCS National Championship Game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on ESPN. Browse our 2010-11 college football postseason hub for a complete list of bowl scores and highlights.

2011 BCS Championship Game, Auburn Vs. Oregon: Cam Newton Key For Tigers

Yes, this is as obvious as you think it is. Auburn Heisman winner, and all-everything quarterback, Cam Newton will be the single most important player in the BCS Championship Game. There's no one player that attracts the attention Newton does -- for good or for bad -- in the nation. For what is likely the last time, Newton will hit the field in Glendale, looking to bring a national championship to Stakville.

SB Nation's Auburn Tigers blog, Track Em Tigers, knows how much Newton means, having seen him up-close all season. While taking a look at the game, they authors used a quote from former Georgia head coach Vince Dooley to portray just how good Newton has been.

"I would have to say that Cam Newton is the best one-season football player I've ever seen," Dooley said. "If Herschel had gotten the ball as many times as Cam Newton, he certainly could've been, and we tried to give it to him as many times as possible."...

Sounds about right. Newton drives the bus for the Tigers and the Oregon Ducks are well aware. Track Em Tigers believes the Ducks, like most teams, will try to keep Newton from taking-off, forcing him to win the game with his arm.

On Auburn's inside inverted veer, it will be key to see how these guys handle Cameron Newton. They aren't much bigger than Newton, and will be facing a very agile as well as powerful runner. Most teams that have successfully defended Auburn's inside running game have had to bring two extra defenders into the box, opening up the speed sweep and the passing game. I expect that to be the case with Oregon also, and given excellent man coverage skills on the outside, I expect the Ducks to try to make Newton beat them with his arm.

Could it be that the BCS Championship Game, featuring two mobile quarterbacks and run-based offenses, comes down to whether Cam Newton or Darron Thomas are able to throw the ball? With the Ducks and Tigers each focused on stopping the run, it just might.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream right up through game time, as we review key unit matchups, odds, bowl history and more, and connect with Ducks and Tigers fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track and Track Em Tigers. For a complete list of bowl games and scores, browse our 2010 college football postseason schedule.

2011 BCS Championship Game, Auburn Vs. Oregon: Darron Thomas' Arm Could Be The Key

The Oregon Ducks rushing attack gets all the press, with Darron Thomas and LaMichael James combining to create a potent ground game. But in the BCS National Championship on Monday, it may be another weapon, Thomas' arm, that proves to be key for the Ducks.

SB Nation's Oregon Ducks blog, Addicted to Quack, previewed the BCS Title Game, noting the Auburn Tigers have the weapons to slow the Oregon rushing attack. The solution? Turn to Thomas' underrated arm and take to the air.

Auburn rushing defense is good enough that I don't think that Oregon will be able to score enough points on the rushing game alone. For the Ducks to win, Darron will need to play at the level that he did against Stanford, USC, and UCLA. If he does this, I don't see the Auburn defense being able to contain the multidimensional Oregon attack. It's simply too dangerous when it's firing on all cylinders.

A balanced attack and some big plays through the air could just be the recipe for an Oregon win. If Thomas can play up to his potential, the Ducks have a great chance of bringing the BCS Championship back to Eugene with them on Monday night.

Tune in to see Thomas, James and the Oregon Ducks take on the Auburn Tigers with the BCS National Championship on the line, Monday at 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream right up through game time, as we review key unit matchups, odds, bowl history and more, and connect with Ducks and Tigers fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track and Track Em Tigers. For a complete list of bowl games and scores, browse our 2010 college football postseason schedule.

2011 NFL Draft Prospects: LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner Anchor Oregon Ducks Backfield

The beauty of the Oregon Ducks is the lack of high-profile NFL Draft prospects the Ducks bring to the table. You'd expect the No. 2 team in the country to be loaded with talent, especially that of the first round variety, right? Not these Ducks. LaMichael James headlines the bunch, but has already announced he'll be back next season. Other than that, it's slim pickings for the Ducks, but there are some players to keep an eye on in the BCS Championship Game.

Here's how the prospects break down.

LaMichael James, Oregon RB: Ranked as the No. 52 prospect, James has been an all-everything running back for the Ducks over the last two years. He got his big break after LeGarrette Blount, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, got a little punchy against Boise State in 2010 and made the most of it. In 2010, James rushed for 1,682 yards and 21 touchdowns, earning a Heisman finalist nod for his efforts. He'll be back at Oregon next year, terrorizing Pac-10 defenses along the way.

Kenjon Barner: Oregon RB: The 132nd ranked prospect, Barner will also likely be back for the Ducks next year, giving Oregon another year of the two-headed death-ray backfield. Despite missing multiple games after suffering a concussion from a vicious hit against Washington State, Barner finished the year with 537 yards and six touchdowns. Add in another two receiving touchdowns and a touchdown off a punt return and you get a versatile, explosive back. He's one to keep an eye on in the BCS Championship Game.

Casey Matthews, Oregon LB: As the brother of former-USC and current-NFL linebacker Clay Matthews, Casey has the bloodline going for him. Ranked as the No. 178 overall prospect, Matthews is a fringe guy that could use a stock boost. Matthews finished 2010 with 73 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss, and three sacks, with three interceptions to go along with all those tackles.

Watch these three and more in the BCS Championship Game on Monday at 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream right up through game time, as we review key unit matchups, odds, bowl history and more, and connect with Ducks and Tigers fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track and Track Em Tigers. For a complete list of bowl games and scores, browse our 2010 college football postseason schedule.

2011 NFL Draft Prospects: Nick Fairley, Cam Newton Lead Auburn Tigers

The Auburn Tigers bring a talented squad to the 2011 BCS Championship game on Monday, boasting two top-10 NFL Draft prospects in the lineup. On the offensive side of the ball, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton runs the show, earning the 2010 Heisman Trophy for his efforts this season. On the defensive side, it's defensive tackle Nick Fairley, a disruptive force that's a nightmare for opposing offenses.

In the BCS Championship game, these two will be on display, looking to boost their already sky-high draft stocks. Here's a look at where they're ranked with one game to go.

Cam Newton: An impressive dual-threat quarterback, Newton put together a monster season both through the air and on the ground. He finished the regular season with 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns to six interceptions in the passing game while also adding 1,409 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground. And, oh yeah, he caught a touchdown pass. Mocking the Draft has him ranked as the No. 10 overall prospects and the latest mock draft has him going to the Minnesota Vikings with the 12th pick. That number could change for the better with Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck deciding to stay in school another year.

Nick Fairley: Ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect by SB Nation's Mocking the Draft, Fairley is a consensus top-10 pick. In the latest 2011 NFL Mock Draft, SB Nation has Fairley going seventh, to the San Francisco 49ers. Fairley finished the regular season with 55 tackles, 21 of which came for a loss, and 10.5 sacks. He's been a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks, forcing 21 recorded hurries.

Watch these two prospects and more in the BCS Championship Game on Monday night at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream right up through game time, as we review key unit matchups, odds, bowl history and more, and connect with Ducks and Tigers fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track and Track Em Tigers. For a complete list of bowl games, scores, and highlights, browse our 2010 college football postseason schedule.

2011 BCS Championship Game: Time, Location, History And More

Finally, the day has come. Monday night, the undefeated Oregon Ducks and the undefeated Auburn Tigers  meet in the desert in the 2011 BCS Championship Game. To help get you ready and refresh your memory (it has been roughly five weeks since these teams last played, after all), we've compiled this handy list of fun factoids concerning the 2011 national championship.

Proper name: BCS National Championship Game (was originially rotated among the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Sugar Bowl, but became a separate event beginning with the 2006 season).

Setting: University of Phoenix Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona, home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and site of the BCS' Fiesta Bowl.

Traditional pairing: The top two teams in the final BCS Standings.

2010-11 matchup: No. 2 Oregon Ducks (12-0, Pac-10 champions) and No. 1 Auburn Tigers (13-0, SEC champions) 

TV channel and start time: ESPN, 8:30 p.m. EST

Announcers: Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi

Closest finish: 2006 Rose Bowl, when Vince Young and Texas narrowly edged Matt Leinart and USC, 41-38, in one of the most exciting college football games ever. 

Most lopsided finish: The 2005 Orange Bowl, when No. 1 USC rolled through No. 2 Oklahoma, 55-19, BUT THIS GAME NEVER HAPPENED. MOVE ALONG. 

Tidbits of interest: The SEC has won four straight BCS national titles, and six overall since the BCS began with the 1998 season ... Oregon and Auburn bring with them two of the country's highest-scoring offenses: the Ducks rank No. 1 with 49.33 points per game, while the Tigers are No. 4 with 42.69 ppg. 

The 2011 BCS Championship Game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. EST, Monday, January 10. The game will be televised on ESPN. 

2011 BCS Championship Game Bowl Swag: Oregon, Auburn Players Get Their Conspicuous Consumption On

January bowl games mean a second visit from Santa Claus for participating players -- only this Santa is wearing noise-canceling headphones and some sweet Oakleys, brah! Oregon and Auburn players, while being cruelly denied the boon of a miniature football helmet, will receive the standard-issue watch-and-cap gift set from Tostitos BCS Championship Game organizers, along with a backpack "stocked with Tostitos products"! Mind you boys don't bash those around, now! You'll end up with a nylon bag full of chip fragments and broken glass, and that's really only a suitable gift for your unfortunate comrades in the BBVA Compass Bowl, no?

For their larger-ticket items, Ducks and Tigers will be perusing the gift suite, an oh-so-Hollywood tradition-come-lately whose origins are explained by Sports Business Journal:

The gift-suite concept is the brainchild of Jon Cooperstein. A veteran of the incentives gifts industry, Cooperstein was hired by Carrolton, Texas-based Performance Award Center (PAC) in April to launch its sports division. He took his sports Rolodex with him, and the 30-year-old company instantly became the dominant player in the niche. PAC has a 60,000-square-foot warehouse where it handles every stage of the process, from ordering to shipping.

Cooperstein said having a suite on two campuses, compared with a single, on-site hotel presence, allows for more local media coverage for the bowl. It also can provide a school with some nontangible benefits.

"Let’s say you are a coach," he said. "You can walk high school recruits through the suite and say, ‘Check this out. Next year, when you’re on our team, this will be you walking through here.’"

Players are given an allotment of points, and allowed to select from a number of posh presents:

Among the items on offer, which the bowl categorizes by value:
Sony PlayStation 3 ($375);  Nintendo Wii with two games, 21-speed mountain bike, Lane recliner ($300 each), Blue-Ray Disc player ($175-$200); FM clock radio for iPod or noise-canceling headphones (about $40).

If you think this sounds an awful lot like redeeming hard-won tickets at an upscale video arcade, you're not wrong. And if you spend the rest of the day with an indelible image of wee LaMichael James sitting in one of those claw machines surrounded by purple off-brand teddy bears and wizard's hats, waiting to be plucked by a loving child, well, you're not alone.

2011 BCS Championship Game, Auburn Vs. Oregon: Two Undefeateds Clash For All The Corn Chips

The 2011 BCS National Championship Game, played to crown the ostensible champs of the 2010 college football season, is just days away. After a largely flat and uninteresting postseason, let's reacquaint ourselves with two of the three remaining undefeated teams in I-A ball:

The No. 1 Auburn Tigers: Are here thanks to, among other reasons, Cam Newton's father's lack of prowess as a financial negotiator. And though they're known for the Explosive! Offensive! Firepower! of Gus Malzahn, they've had their low-octane moments. There was the 17-14 victory at Mississippi State in Week 2, and the 27-24 overtime win over Clemson the week after that. Showing a flair for playing down to overmatched opponents, the Tigers edged past Kentucky, 37-34, in early October before putting the pedal down. They've been held below 30 points only four times this season, and scored above 40 seven times. For dramatic purposes, they saved their highest-profile wins for last: A 28-27 nailbaiter of an Iron Bowl triumph, and a 56-17 obliteration of South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game.

The No. 2 Oregon Ducks: Look to finally win the big one after past brushes with BCS glory and a rare season in which they got to keep the same quarterback for twelve weeks without him losing a limb. The Ducks shut out their only mid-major and I-AA opponents this season by margins of 69 and 72 points, and apart from one bizarro 51-13 hiccup against Cal in mid-November, have scored at least 37 points in every regular-season game of 2010, with an average of over 49 ppg. They beat all three of their ranked Pac-10 opponents by a combined margin of 153-92, and emerged with an uncontested conference title. And other than Cal, no team this season finished within a possession of even tying them.

Both teams are undefeated, with Oregon at 12-0 and Auburn 13-0. Both entered the 2010 BCS standings ranked in the top five, and have not fallen out since. They're separated in the final regular-season BCS standings by just over a hundredth of a point. Scandal and hysteria aside, after a season rife with the public faceplants of traditional power after power, the folks who actually stand to make money off this contest couldn't have scripted a better matchup.

The 2011 BCS Championship Game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. EST on Monday, January 10. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream right up through game time, as we review key unit matchups, odds, bowl history and more, and connect with Ducks and Tigers fans at SB Nation's Addicted To Quack and Track and Track Em Tigers. For a complete list of bowl games and scores, browse our 2010 college football postseason schedule.